Door lock for vehicles



Oct. 6, 1931. -s. ARMITAGE noon LOOK FOR VEHICLES imm hl al Filed NOV. 24, 1928 INVENTOR. [Sylvester dqrmita 6 Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE SYLVESTER ARMIITAGE, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL MOTOR$ CORIEORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE noon LOCK FOR VEHICLES Application filed November 24, 1928. Serial No. 321,588.

This invention relates to improvements in door locks for vehicles. As now constructed, the bolt of a door lock is either circular or rectangular in cross section and the opening in the face plate. through which the bolt moves longitudinally is likewise either round or rectangular. The bolt guides are often considerably larger than the bolts, leaving clearance and resulting in rattling.

L30, Resilient bumpers, are now used on the door posts of most vehicles so that when the door is closed against the compression of the resilient bumper, the expansive force of the resilient bumper effects a tight engagement between the lock bolt and the shoulder of the striker plate and consequently prevents any rattling caused by a loose engagement of the bolt with the striker plate.

the door in a closed position with the expan-- sive action of the resilient bumper member effecting tight engagement between the lock bolt and the shoulder of the striker.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the lock bolt showing the beveled or converging sides of the bolt.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the body post upon which the striker plate 2 is mounted. The door bumper 3 is attached to the door post so that as the door 4 closes, it compresses the door bumper 3. lhe expansive action of the door bumper is exerted against the selvage plate 5 of the door 4 and, hence, causes the bolt 6 to tightly engage the shoulder 7 of the striker plate 2.

The lock bolt 6 has converging sides 3 which give it in cross section the shape of a wedge as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The open- But as. now constructed, the loose fit between the ing 9 in the face plate 15 likewise has the converging sides 10 as shown in Fig. 3. .The bolt 6 fits loosely into the opening 9 so that there is a certain amount of clearance as at 11 between the bolt and the front side of the bolt opening in the face plate. When the door is open, the bolt fits loosely into the opening in the face plate as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, and consequently there is a certain amount of clearance between the.

upper and lower sides 10 of the bolt opening .in the face plate as at 12. It is this clearance 12 which allows for vertical movement between the door bolt 6 and the sides 10 of the lock bolt opening 9 (which is here the bolt guide) in the plate 15, andconsequently this loose engagement causes a rattling.

When the door is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the expansive thrust or pressure of the door bumpers 3 is exerted in the direction of the arrows 13, and this is resisted by the thrust of the door bolt 6 in the direction of the arrow 14:, since the lock bolt 6.is tightly engaged against the shoulder 7 of the striker plate 2. Hence, as shown in Fig. 3, thelock bolt 6 is caused to engage the sides 10 of the opening 9 in the face plate 15 in a wedging relation. This does away with the clearance 12 between the lock bolt and the sides 10 of the lock bolt opening andconsequently any vertical movement between the lock bolt 6 and the sides 10 of the opening in the face plate is positively prevented.

As a result of the above specified construction of the wedge-shaped lock bolt and lock bolt opening in the face plate used in conjunction with a resilient door bumper, the lock bolt is securely tied to the lock casing so as to prevent rattling and chattering.

What I claimis:

' 1. In a door lock, the combination of a striker having a shoulder, a lock bolt adapted to move longitudinally and to engage the shoulder of sald striker plate, a bolt guide having a beveled side for said lock bolt, said bolt having a loose fit in said guide, pressure means for holding the lock bolt in tight engagement with the shoulder of the striker plate and in tight engagement with the sides of the guide, whereby thebolt engages in wedging relation the said guide when stressed by said pressure means.

2. In a door lock the combination of a striker having a shoulder, a lock bolt having at least one of its top and bottom sides beveled and adapted to move longitudinally and to engage the shoulder of said striker, a bolt guide for said lock bolt, said guide permitting a limited lateral movement of the bolt, pressure means for holding the lock bolt in tight engagement with the shoulder of the striker plate and in tight engagement with the bolt guide, said guide being formed complementally to said beveled bolt, whereby the bolt engages in wedging relation the said guide when stressed by said pressure means.

3. In a door lock the combination of a striker having a shoulder, a lock bolt having at least one of its top and bottom sides beveled and adapted to move longitudinally and to engage the shoulder of said striker, a bolt guide with at least one beveled side for said lock bolt, said bolt arranged to fit loosely in said guide, resilient bumper means for holding the lock bolt in tight engagement with the shoulder of the striker plate and in wedgingdengagement with the sides of the bolt 1 e. t. In a door lock the combination of a striker having a shoulder, a lock bolt having the upper and lower sides beveled and adapted to move longitudinally and to engage the shoulder of said striker, a guide for said lock bolt provided with upper and lower beveled walls, said bolt arranged to fit loosely in said guide, pressure means for holding the lock bolt in tight engagement with the shoulder of the striker plate and in wedging engagement with the beveled walls of the guide.

5. In a door lock the combination of a striker having a shoulder, a lock bolt adapted to move longitudinally and to engage the shoulder of said striker, a face plate having an opening with at least one upper andlower sidebeveled for said lock bolt, said bolt arranged to fit loosely in the opening of the face plate, pressure means for holding the lock bolt in tight engagement with the shoulder of the striker and in tight engagement with the sides of the opening in the face plate, said lock bolt and the sides of said opening shaped and adapted so that the bolt engages in wedging relation the sides of the opening in said face plate.

6. In a door lock the combination of a striker having a shoulder, a lock bolt adapted to move longitudinally and to engage the shoulder of said striker, a face plate having an opening for said lock bolt, the upper and lower sides of said opening being in conver ing relation, said lock bolt arranged to 't loosely in the opening of the face plate, pressure means for holding the lock bolt in tight engagement with the shoulder of the striker and in tight engagement with the sides of the opening in the face plate, said lock bolt and the sides of said opening shaped and adapted so that the bolt engages in wedging relation the sides of the opening in said face plate.

7. The combination with a striker plate, of a movable bolt member arranged to engage the striker, a guide member for said bolt member, one of the aforesaid bolt and guide members having a wedge surface, the said bolt and the guide member normally having a loose fit, and pressure means for holding the bolt member in tight engagement with the said striker whereby the wedge surface effects a wedging engagement between the said bolt and guide to prevent relative movement between the said guide and bolt members.

In testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

SYLVESTER ARMITAGE. 

